The people that insist on being called 'doctor' and correct you, and these are not medical doctors, make me really appreciate the fact that two people that I met through their kids being friends with my kids actually have doctorates, and do not advertise it!

One I found out via a closing sig on e-mail, and another from his wife mentioning his job search.

I don't see why someone who has earned that distinction shouldn't get to use it. I would think "I'm Bob Green, PhD, here to pick up my son Timmy" would be over the top; but I don't see anything wrong with "Hi, I'm Dr Green, pleased to meet you" or "....Thanks for your email. Let's conduct your newspaper interview about my specialty at the local cafe....respectfully, Dr Bob Green"

This primarily ends up being a problem when a person with a PhD dispenses medical advice and goes by "doctor" when they're not actually a medical doctor. (Dr. Phil, I'm looking at you!)

I knew someone who'd received an honorary doctorate from a university because he'd donated huge flippin' wodges of cash, and he insisted on being called "Doctor". That was particularly galling, because he'd done nothing to earn it beyond signing a cheque.

My friend told me about this one and well I don't know if it's PD yet or not because the young woman still seems to be in business but her methods are less than professional.

Okay, bff lives in a small midwest town and takes her dog to the vet to be groomed. Another groomer opened a business in town and the vet, being rather busy with usual vet business and grooming, recommended quite a few of their patients to this young woman. Including my friend, who has taken her dog to this groomer at least once and she did a fine job.

About a week or so ago, friend had an appointment to take her dog to this groomer (who apparently works out of her house) but the woman texted her saying "Sorry, I have a sick child, I can't groom your dog today." That wasn't what bothered my friend. But when she called to reschedule and found out the groomer was rather booked and wouldn't have an opening for another month, my friend said "Well I'll get him an appointment with the vet then, cause he needs to be groomed for the summer."

This groomer says "Well I heard their new groomer isn't very good, I wouldn't go to them." Friend told me, and I rather agree, that it seems rather unprofessional to say something like that when they have sent business to her to help get her grooming business going. And fwiw, friend asked around and apparently no one she knows has had a complaint about the vets new groomer.

And apparently she called a few times to get friend's dog in and repeated it again that the vet's new groomer isn't very good.

« Last Edit: June 12, 2013, 05:56:49 PM by Piratelvr1121 »

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Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. Be cheerful, strive to be happy. -Desiderata

I knew someone who'd received an honorary doctorate from a university because he'd donated huge flippin' wodges of cash, and he insisted on being called "Doctor". That was particularly galling, because he'd done nothing to earn it beyond signing a cheque.

My uncle got an honorary doctorate because of his position in the community and he does that, too. Every time I see him addressed as "doctor" somewhere, I can't help but roll my eyes. People say that my grandma must be so proud to have a son who's a doctor, and I just think "she doesn't."

My friend told me about this one and well I don't know if it's PD yet or not because the young woman still seems to be in business but her methods are less than professional.

Okay, bff lives in a small midwest town and takes her dog to the vet to be groomed. Another groomer opened a business in town and the vet, being rather busy with usual vet business and grooming, recommended quite a few of their patients to this young woman. Including my friend, who has taken her dog to this groomer at least once and she did a fine job.

About a week or so ago, friend had an appointment to take her dog to this groomer (who apparently works out of her house) but the woman texted her saying "Sorry, I have a sick child, I can't groom your dog today." That wasn't what bothered my friend. But when she called to reschedule and found out the groomer was rather booked and wouldn't have an opening for another month, my friend said "Well I'll get him an appointment with the vet then, cause he needs to be groomed for the summer."

This vet says "Well I heard their new groomer isn't very good, I wouldn't go to them." Friend told me, and I rather agree, that it seems rather unprofessional to say something like that when they have sent business to her to help get her grooming business going. And fwiw, friend asked around and apparently no one she knows has had a complaint about the vets new groomer.

And apparently she called a few times to get friend's dog in and repeated it again that the vet's new groomer isn't very good.

The people that insist on being called 'doctor' and correct you, and these are not medical doctors, make me really appreciate the fact that two people that I met through their kids being friends with my kids actually have doctorates, and do not advertise it!

One I found out via a closing sig on e-mail, and another from his wife mentioning his job search.

I don't see why someone who has earned that distinction shouldn't get to use it. I would think "I'm Bob Green, PhD, here to pick up my son Timmy" would be over the top; but I don't see anything wrong with "Hi, I'm Dr Green, pleased to meet you" or "....Thanks for your email. Let's conduct your newspaper interview about my specialty at the local cafe....respectfully, Dr Bob Green"

The tradition for Ph.D.s is that you only use the title when you are conducting business related to your degree. Most Ph.D.s are Dr. Soandso at work, or when representing their employer or area of expertise (like in the interview example you gave) or when presenting at a conference...but not when making your airline reservation for travel, or in social situations. If I routinely called someone Dr. Soandso at work, I probably would call them Dr. Soandso away from work...but then, I work in a setting where we refer to each other when speaking to students as Dr., but we only address each other as Dr. when joking around.

An amusing and practical exception to that: my aunt L has a doctorate in biology and taught college biology for many years. When my grandmother was quite old and in the hospital, that aunt (rather than my mother or other aunt) was Speaker to the Hospital as much as possible, and she would always introduce herself as "Dr. B" rather than "Ms. B." It got more respect and more detailed medical information. This worked because her degree is in biology (rather than chemistry or ancient history), so she understood the details and could and did ask appropriate questions. (My mother could, in theory, have insisted on being "Dr R" even though she doesn't have a doctorate, but the same information phrased the same way would not have been useful to her.)

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Any advice that requires the use of a time machine may safely be ignored.

I never knew my father even had a doctorate until I was an adult, and never knew he was head of the lab he worked in until his funeral, when so many of his former employees came up to tell me what a good boss he was .

...I was also taught that referring to a PhD as "Doctor" was only for professional settings. In social settings or in personal correspondence (including wedding invitations) only M.D.'s should be referred to as "Doctor."

Even that has been fairly recent. The rule used to be the same for both, professional titles in professional settings only. If someone introduces themselves as Dr. X at a party, I'll assume they aren't interested in a social relationship.

There was a thread on she'll several years ago started by a woman who was irate that people would introduce her husband in social situations as 'Dr. Jones, my dentist'. She felt that he should have been introduced as 'Dr. Jones,my doctor' because somehow 'dentist' was demeaning or insulting or something.

There was a thread on she'll several years ago started by a woman who was irate that people would introduce her husband in social situations as 'Dr. Jones, my dentist'. She felt that he should have been introduced as 'Dr. Jones,my doctor' because somehow 'dentist' was demeaning or insulting or something.

I had forgotten about that thread! I work with a number of PhDs and veterinarians and most don't like to be called "Doctor" or "a doctor" outside of work for fear that somebody will need a physician and mistakenly grab them. Although one veterinarian did treat a woman who got sick on an airplane because he was the only person around with any kind of medical training. (The woman was incredibly hungover so he simply instructed her to nibble on crackers, drink lots of fluids and take ibuprofen for the headache.)

I once worked with someone who insisted on "Dr." We were in a research setting so having a PhD was important, but she wasn't a researcher. She was a business manager. I wish I could say that her over-the-top snootiness was her most PD trait, but alas I cannot. She would randomly choose a person to micromanage and make a ton of changes to their job without trying to understand it. If, say there was a grad student who was working with a researcher she would tell them how to revamp their protocols to save money. If they protested that the cheaper way wouldn't actually provide the needed data she'd say, "Well I'm the one with a doctorate in biology!" (Even if this was true, that in no way qualified her to create protocols on experiments that she didn't write.)

She lasted about nine months.

After she left we found out that she actually had gotten a certificate in alternative medicine through a course that lasted six months. Since she was a "licensed practitioner" she claimed it was the same as being a doctor. While I won't knock alternative medicine (or this particular branch because I have tried it) this practice does not have a formal licensing board in our state. She had a Bachelor's in biology. We all had a good laugh over that one.

My friend told me about this one and well I don't know if it's PD yet or not because the young woman still seems to be in business but her methods are less than professional.

Okay, bff lives in a small midwest town and takes her dog to the vet to be groomed. Another groomer opened a business in town and the vet, being rather busy with usual vet business and grooming, recommended quite a few of their patients to this young woman. Including my friend, who has taken her dog to this groomer at least once and she did a fine job.

About a week or so ago, friend had an appointment to take her dog to this groomer (who apparently works out of her house) but the woman texted her saying "Sorry, I have a sick child, I can't groom your dog today." That wasn't what bothered my friend. But when she called to reschedule and found out the groomer was rather booked and wouldn't have an opening for another month, my friend said "Well I'll get him an appointment with the vet then, cause he needs to be groomed for the summer."

This vet says "Well I heard their new groomer isn't very good, I wouldn't go to them." Friend told me, and I rather agree, that it seems rather unprofessional to say something like that when they have sent business to her to help get her grooming business going. And fwiw, friend asked around and apparently no one she knows has had a complaint about the vets new groomer.

And apparently she called a few times to get friend's dog in and repeated it again that the vet's new groomer isn't very good.

Is the bolded 'vet' supposed to be the new business groomer?

Oops! Yes, will fix it!

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Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. Be cheerful, strive to be happy. -Desiderata